Six Hour Race
18/11/07 15:55 Filed in: November
An impressive fleet of 18 yachts, from Optimist
(Shaun Rumbles who completed the six hour solo
keeping up the Rumbles family tradition) through to
an Elliott 7.4 (Gordon Wallis) tested their light
weather sailing skills for the annual Six-Hour Race.
Five marks were positioned at the extremities of the
lake, pushing the course beyond the normal
boundaries. Several boats popped spinnakers to try
and aid their progress around the course, "Columbine"
and "ResiVor" had particularly colourful sails and of
course the big blue aboard "Southbound" could not be
missed. The Feva sailed by Micah Wilkinson (and
crews) supported a fluro gennaker seen well full when
sailed into the right spot.
In addition to the racing, each sailor had a set of wooden "chips" that were to be thrown into ("at" for some) a plastic drum on the deck of the pontoon anchored out in the lake in front of the clubhouse. The light wind from mainly the north and north-west ranged in strength from 1 to 5 knots (very occasionally more for the lucky, or down to nothing), but usually something, provided a challenge while gaps between boats could change rapidly. For the record Ross Wrenn in a Laser completed 8.5 laps of the course, winning the centreboard fleet on line and handicap. Gordon Wallis on "Southbound" lead on the water completing 8.1 laps but after handicap correction John Roszak aboard his Kestral 18 "Y-Knot" took the Trailer Yacht fleet after completing 6.5 laps on the water.
The "Chip" counting revealed that Ross Wrenn got all (8) "chips" in the drum. Alex Kraayenhof had the heaviest bump on the pontoon with a small abrasion on the bow of the PT as evidence. Alex Wilkinson sailing a Tiger Cub aside the pontoon almost wiped Murray Wall (our intrepid close-up photographer) off with the end of the boom and into the water. Lucky Murray had a good keen eye. Thanks to the lap counters that included Janice and Shirley. The famished and thirsty sailors appreciated the snacks before the spot prize presentation.
Next Sunday, 25th November 10.30am briefing, sees the Waikato Lakes regatta at Lake Ngaroto. Our Trailer Yachties (Owen and Gordon, so volunteers contact these two) are running the regatta; let's have a real big centreboard fleet racing. We expect sailors from Cambridge and Hamilton to be competing too.
In addition to the racing, each sailor had a set of wooden "chips" that were to be thrown into ("at" for some) a plastic drum on the deck of the pontoon anchored out in the lake in front of the clubhouse. The light wind from mainly the north and north-west ranged in strength from 1 to 5 knots (very occasionally more for the lucky, or down to nothing), but usually something, provided a challenge while gaps between boats could change rapidly. For the record Ross Wrenn in a Laser completed 8.5 laps of the course, winning the centreboard fleet on line and handicap. Gordon Wallis on "Southbound" lead on the water completing 8.1 laps but after handicap correction John Roszak aboard his Kestral 18 "Y-Knot" took the Trailer Yacht fleet after completing 6.5 laps on the water.
The "Chip" counting revealed that Ross Wrenn got all (8) "chips" in the drum. Alex Kraayenhof had the heaviest bump on the pontoon with a small abrasion on the bow of the PT as evidence. Alex Wilkinson sailing a Tiger Cub aside the pontoon almost wiped Murray Wall (our intrepid close-up photographer) off with the end of the boom and into the water. Lucky Murray had a good keen eye. Thanks to the lap counters that included Janice and Shirley. The famished and thirsty sailors appreciated the snacks before the spot prize presentation.
Next Sunday, 25th November 10.30am briefing, sees the Waikato Lakes regatta at Lake Ngaroto. Our Trailer Yachties (Owen and Gordon, so volunteers contact these two) are running the regatta; let's have a real big centreboard fleet racing. We expect sailors from Cambridge and Hamilton to be competing too.